Ron Pollard: Take America back

Steamboat Springs  Yes, the people, the citizens, the voters, can, God willing, take back America before it is too late.

America is blessed or cursed, depending on one's point of view, to have one of the most unique presidents in our great history. It is a significant point that we now have a man of color. The time has come.

Is there still racism in America? Sadly, there are still people in our society who have racism in their hearts. This is nonsense! I have been to war, shoulder to shoulder, with people of diverse races and ethnic origins. Our blood is all the same red color and is interchangeable.

President Barack Obama is an unusual man. He possesses a beautiful family and is extremely intelligent, a purveyor of words second to none and, in my opinion, is a narcissist. These are his basic overall qualifications for the highest elected position in the greatest nation in the world. He has been given an enthusiastic bully pulpit by almost all branches of the media to push his radical vision of a new America from its current health system to a not so veiled government control of almost everything in our lives.

Are there a number of things in our society that need to be improved, including health care? Yes, but looking at all the programs that government controls and with all the good that many of them do, the waste and corruption are enormous. This is the real reform that needs to be addressed and yet President Obama wants the government to take over more and more aspects of our lives.

What is the projected cost of Obama's bigger and bigger government? As more and more non-detailed information is brought to light, many informed experts predict this eventually will bankrupt America. This is now China's concern as they already own a large chunk of America through America's heavy borrowing. China now appears to be worried about America's ability to pay back what is owed, much less loan America more. As former President Ronald Reagan once astutely noted, "Government is not the solution, government is the problem."

Let's briefly examine other parts of Obama's new America:

- Foreign policy: He expressly apologizes to the world for the sometimes heavy-handed way America has shed its blood and wealth on foreign soils to keep them free and asking nothing in return except to remain free. Has this been reciprocal? What he recently did to Poland and Czechoslovakia was unbelievable and then announced the change on the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Poland. We've sold out two of our strongest allies. But, Russia is very pleased.

- Homeland security: He is, one piece at a time, dismantling our ability to gather the required intelligence that has kept us safe since 9/11. This is under the pretext of taking the "moral road." The highest moral road that the President has is to protect America.

Finally, there is a movement starting that capitalism is the real enemy to the new America. What is capitalism? Capitalism is a social system based on the recognition and protection of individual rights, including property rights. Specifically: property rights, individual freedoms and responsibilities; free trade in capital goods and labor including immigration; non-arbitrary money supply and free banking; very limited taxation and a strong national defense here and abroad.

In conclusion, capitalism coupled with freedom of religion has made America the dream of both free and the enslaved countries of the world.

May God continue to bless and guide America no matter how far away from him and his tenets we have turned.

What a terrible piece of writing. It's not terrible because it opposes the president, it is garbage because that the arguments Mr. Pollard uses are completely irrational and not based in any sort of fact.

Mr. Pollard, when you say:

"Homeland security: He is, one piece at a time, dismantling our ability to gather the required intelligence that has kept us safe since 9/11. This is under the pretext of taking the "moral road." The highest moral road that the President has is to protect America."

Do you have any sort of facts to back that up? There is no evidence to support this.

Ahh, another weekly op-ed piece to stir the pot. How appropriate that Ron quotes Reagan, the president that began the epidemic of massive federal deficits right after mentioning our debt to China. Do you realize that the missile interceptors aren't being deployed because of intelligence that indicated that Iran's long-range ballistic missile program is slowing in favor of short to medium range missiles? The missile defense wasn't ever directed at Russia, there wouldn't have been enough to counter the thousands of nukes that they have anyways. Obama just can't win no matter what he does huh? The capture of Zazi and the cell in Denver runs counter to your allegation that Obama is dismantling our intelligence agencies. This was the first time a cell was caught in the United States that actually had the means to pull off an attack on our soil since 9/11 and it was stopped. Ron, you may argue that America's turning away from the tenets of God; how can you allege that providing health care for all and not torturing as being un-Christian?

What an interesting board! I'm pleased to see that it's not just a wash from one side or the other. There are still a multitude of viewpoints that people feel are worth fighting for and that is what will save this country in the end. God/Jesus is a myth and most of our government is a fraudulent shell of what it claims to be. If you truly believe that our government has its peoples' rights, freedoms and liberties at heart when it makes decisions, I'd like to point you in the direction of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act. I would love to see someone explain to us exactly how this act, whose militantly acronymed name reads "U.niting and S.trengthening A.merica by P.roviding A.ppropriate T.ools R.equired to I.ntercept and O.bstruct T.errorism," makes you and me safer or more free. I would also love to see someone explain to me, with good reason, why this "act" has yet to be repealed. For those of you that don't care to look into what your government puts into law, this act gives the government/police/DEA/FBI/misc tax-payer supported entities the power to walk into your home without a warrant. In fact, Bush actually enacted something that criminalized the first amendment. And that's just one part of our government. What about FEMA? You can't possibly tell me that FEMA has anything to do with the well-being of our citizens. For decades, if not worse, our government has been lying to it's people on a regular basis. It has been pumping us full of, and sometimes creating, whatever information they can think up that they believe will make us act in a way that makes us dependent on "them." Our government is in no other business than creating job security for itself and creating profit from it's people. I say we stop putting fuel in the war machine.

Poor misguided Ron Pollard. Google Ron and Swiftboat veterans and you will see that Ron believes so much in his version of America that he contributed his hard earned dollars to the lies that allowed GW Bush to win in 2004. Ron, maybe you should start contributing to Sarah Palin. The two of you have such similar views!!

on an other note, i just saw a bumper sticker on a car and it read "Palin-Power". at first i just laughed, but then it occured to me that a sizable portion of the republican base actually thinks she would be a good leader for the United States of America. i wonder if the Founding Fathers were locked in a room with her what they would think...?

Ron,
While I don't necessarily agree with what you say, I certainly value your right to say it. However, I am embarrassed by the nasty responses given by the "anon" writers who could be your neighbors and co-workers. It is like they have a personality transplant when no one is watching to spout their rhetoric. Shame on them!! If you feel so strongly, folks USE YOUR NAMES.

You all are the hardcore left and will defend this President and his policies along with using the, "it's George Bush's fault" defense to the end of time.
Why, if Sarah Palin is so unimportant, do the left continue to attack her?
People need to remember that Obama won with a 52 to 46 percentage, no blowout for going up against such a weak candidate. And Palin helped McCain's numbers regardless of the nightly MSM attacks.
Gee, her book isn't out for 7 weeks and it's already #1.
You betcha, you all should be nervous and attack her, Obama came from nowhere and beat out Hillary didn't he?
One word for 2012...........Believe.

Seeu, the threat is short to medium range missiles that threaten US forces in the gulf and Israel more so than long range ballistic missiles. Ron stated that we "sold out" Czechoslovakia and Poland to the Russians, by not installing the missile defenses.

knee..
Many feel that way so what is the problem with that assessment since those Governments have made that indication?
I had a dream the other night by the way, I dreamed that Obama held a news conference and he indicated he saw the light and has adopted healthcare reform that was proposed as HR3400 and that he is ending the bailouts and the stimulus programs that are failing. He is ending the attacks against the CIA and he is exclaiming the decency of the American people and all those good things we have done around the world over the years.
He is readopting his earlier strategy of fighting to win in Afghanistan and he is ending the habit of blaming Bush for what he has to deal with now.
He has released the radicals in his cabinet known as the czars which now includes a believer in NAMBLA as the School safety czar and he has denounced ACORN and the SEIU as the thugs that they are.
In my dream the country has come together and I have made a statement on this forum that I am now a supporter of Obama.
I really had that dream, but I awoke and took a shower and saw that the first snow had fallen in town.
Maybe some sort of sign.
I'll keep dreaming for it.

I hate the fact that a person in our community writes an editorial article and their are people who will ridicule him for writing it. Can you imagine if these people did not have the right to do this? Mr. Pollard also signed his name to this article yet there are people here that refuse to reveal their name. Mr. Pollard whether you agree with him or not expressed his views and that is his right.

The first comment from LTFO makes me sick. He is riduculing Mr. Pollard for beleiving in something. A right Mr. Pollard has, just as LTFO has the right to beleive in nothing. The only problem is that Mr. Pollard has the guts to put his name out there and express what he believes. He does not hide behind an alias and use ridiculous terms for things.

LTFO: Tell it like it is. You don't beleive in god and you don't beleive that anyone else should either, not matter what their right.

Click on his name and read his posts, the bulk are angry attacks against his perceived foes.
Calling the Pilot a fishwrapper is quite funny though, the op-eds are a daily dose of the NYT's Obama army of believers.
I guess this paper should be a committed propaganda venue for the progressives 24/7 instead of the 24/6+1/2 that it already is.

Boatnaive,
You and your cohort support obama no matter how pernicious his policies. It is easy to find similar behaviour from the far left when your boy clinton and his moral perversions were overlooked and even tacitly approved. Ahh, but I digress.

Obama went to the Olympic committee becaused he believed his mere presence was so overwhelming that he could bring the Olympics to Chicago (while feeding his corrupt buddies) simply on the basis of his personality. Go to a modern dictionary and you might just see a photo of obama speaking to the Committee next to the word narcissism.

Polls on his socialistic plan for medical care show the majority of Americans are unfavorable to this government grab. His plan will further bankrupt our economy and the citizens recognize it. Still he curries favor of the far left and grabs every network opportunity he has to drone on endlessly supporting the public option.

President Obama is plenty smart and has surrounded himself with some good folks --- frankly I consider Hillary amongst that group of folks and he did have the wisdom to extend the tenure of Sec of Def Gates but there are also some huge disappointments. Enough to justify some real skepticism when comparing Candidate Obama's promises and President Obama's performance.

Without resorting to the petty, it is simply inconceivable that the Commander in Chief has to spend almost 2 months "studying" the recommendations of his field commanders in the execution of a simple military undertaking like the war in Afghanistan. Can you imagine Roosevelt taking a couple of months to consult with Marshall and Eisenhower over the deployment of 40,000 troops in WWII?

The two best answers in times of crisis are a quick --- QUICK --- yes or a quick no. Everything else is just equivocation.

The most important responsibility of a real leader is to decide things and to decide them in such a manner that his subordinates are able to get on with accomplishing their mission.

It is interesting to see the dust up that Gen McCrystal's recent London speech has created and the awkward position it has cast Gen Jones the President's national security advisor and himself a retired Marine 4-star. If Gen McCrystal's comments were out of line, then relieve him and put your General in place. I can assure you that President Obama does not have those kind of cojones.

President Obama's finest leadership demonstration to date was orchestrating a picnic table summit between a single cop and a racist college professor named "Skip" over a couple of beers. Now that was some great leadership!

Hang onto your seats, folks, cause Obama is going ultimately to leave the military swinging in the breeze about Afghanistan. His real problem --- he simply does not have the experience to make an important decision.

He can vacation admirably in Martha's Vineyard. He can go to Copenhagen to shmooze the IOC who facialized him nonetheless but he cannot discharge the most solemn duty he has --- to decide military matters in a timely manner.

Every day of delay is one day closer to the winter and the inability to manage the battlefield and a few more American casualties.

Like Hillary said, the chap is not experienced enough to run the show. It is showing now.

Come on, Mr. President, go get Skippy bin Laden and let's get on with it already! LOL

LTFO- you sound like an angry child who makes up words. Maybe the paper will let you right up an article and let all of us monkey know about how things should be. No, sorry you wouldn't do that, that would mean you are responsible for what you say. May GOD help you find your way.

Ron has a right (protected by the constitution and facilitated by the Steamboat Pilot/Today) to say what he feels and why. One does not have to agree with Ron, however, we should all agree and support his right to say what he wants in the framework of an editorial to the paper.

Those that chose to post anonymously in response to Ron's comments are free to do so as well. I do not have a problem with anonymous postings. I am sure these folks have their reasons for wanting to be anonymous. I am not going to judge them. There are often some very thoughtful comments from anonymous posters. I think being anonymous allows some folks to express their feelings more freely than if there name was disclosed to the public. I am all for that!

When the exchange begins to take on an overtly personal tone, no longer focuses on the core issue(s), attributes everything to some larger conspiracy theory or becomes dribble It is time to move on.

Anonymous posters with these characteristics are similar to individuals that become too drunk at the party to realize they are drunk. They become louder and louder and do not understand why they are the only one dancing and trying to sing the words long after the music has stopped.

Typical Bush supporters that have issues with history and geography. The Poland / Czech reference is priceless considering Czechoslovakia was diluted into 2 countries in 1992. The right support will say it's an easy misktake and don't kill the messenger. The left will say that the argument is totally wasted and based on information that isn't true.

Those refererences are similar to proper grammar. If it's not used in proper context, the validity is questioned.

That was for u seeuski..............It seems that you have fallen off the English train again.

LOL The grammar and spelling police are out and about. Surely a good argument can be had without being held hostage to grammer and spelleng? Hahahaha!

President Obama made a huge concession to the Russians --- without maligning his intentions, mind you --- without getting anything in return. Czech it out! It's naive and simple minded. Would President Reagan have been so naive? Likely not.

Ron , Calling Obama a narcissist . Gimmie a break , you've been watching Fox news way tooooo much. Now you sound like Glenn Beck. Blaming Obama for things that you just feel like ranting about is pathetic. In case you haven't noticed America hired a black man to once again clean up the mess . Yes we need to take back America but Obama isn't the problem . All politicians in Washington are bought and paid for by Lobbyists. The Corporations rule the U.S.A. To blame Obama or any one man is pretty lame . I'm not a big fan of Obama either but I don't stoop to name calling. Meet the new boss , same as the old boss . Bought and paid for by a corporation near you..... lobbyists should be put in jail and executed on pay-per-view . As long as they roam free we don't have a chance of getting our country back . If your going to rant about taking back our country then do it with some intelligence , otherwise you just sound like a right wing racist

I always find it interesting that there was not one Tea Party when Bush and the Republicans were in total control as they spent our country into almost total ruin. The difference is who is on the receiving end of the money. When big business, Wall St. the top 1 % and the defense contractors are getting all the gov't handouts that is great but if the average American gets some sort of health insurance it is a wasteful spending. When Reagan took office the national debt was 900 billion and when Bush left office it was 11 trillion. In that 28 years Republicans were in control 20 out of 28 years. Only once did both parties come together and worked together and that was in the late 90's. Reagan bailed out the S & L's and Bush Wall St. More money has been spent bailing out millionaires than was ever spent on welfare.
World War 2 lasted almost 4 years and here we are 8 years into Afghanistan(almost 7 in Iraq)and a bunch of uneducated nomads with AK-47's have the most expensive high tech military in the world bogged down. No western power has ever won in Iraq or Afghanistan so should the President send more troops on an impossible mission? Unlike Bush and Cheney who were more interested in who was going to make a profit on the war he realizes men and women will more than likely lose there lives over there just like the 8 killed yesterday. Unfortunately Obama was left with a lose lose situation and at least he is not rushing into a decision to put more in harms way. At least this President realizes the entire burden of these 2 wars are on the backs of the military and their families. The Republicans were all for war as long as someone else does the fighting and dying and they didn't have to pay for it. Oh yes the Iraqi oil revenues would pay for everything per Mr. Cheney. Where were the Tea Parties and outrage when they were spending trillions?

Not everyone who today is appalled by the current level of spending and waste was not a critic of the prior administration. It is a gross over simplification to think so. Nonetheless, we are all living in the present and waiting for the future.

I quibble with you a bit on the significance of Afghanistgan. The initial objectives of denying Al Qaeda a refuge amongst the equally loony Taliban was accomplished quite handily.

The President has consistently described the Afghanistan war as the "right" war and a "war of necessity" while criticizing the Iraq war. Fair play to him!

Now it is time to see how he intends to prosecute this war of necessity. Time will tell.

I suspect that not too many of President Obama's brethren have read the history of the British involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They don't call A'stan the Graveyard of Empires for nothing.

I suspect we had the right strategy to begin with --- small lethal encounters with highly mobile elite units supported by extraordinary amounts of artillery and air power.

We shall see. I do not have much hope for President Obama. Anybody who has to study a 40,000 troop deployment for 2 months is not ready for nor up to the job.